Will Write for Shoes: How to Write a Chick Lit Novel (Hardcover)

by Cathy Yardley (Author)
Key Phrases: marian keyes, stephanie lehmann, plot point one, Chick Lit, Red Dress Ink, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A clear, concise, easy-to-read (and reread) guide to writing contemporary women's fiction. Like a pair of heels you can actually dance in, this book is a keeper."

- Alisa Kwitney, author of The Dominant Blonde

 

"Yardley gives a humorous but honest look at the dos and don'ts of the biz, arming writers with a valuable tool in their arsenal on the way to publication."

- Erica Orloff, author of Do They Wear High Heels in Heaven?

 

"Accessible, wise, and fun. Yardley's step-by-step approach, boundless wisdom, and humorous tone make this an invaluable aid to any writer hoping to break into the genre!"

- Carren Lisner, author of Carrie Pilby

 

"I laughed, I cried, I finished my Chick Lit novel! Thank you, Cathy Yardley, for putting everything I ever wanted to know about Chick Lit all in one place. The appendixes alone are worth their weight in chocolate."

- Deanna Carlyle, cofounder of the International Women's Fiction Festival

Product Description

* What is Chick Lit exactly?

* How do I write a Chick Lit novel?

* What are the steps I need to take to get published?

 

Once dismissed as a fad by the popular press and literary community, the women's fiction genre called Chick Lit is now one of the hottest growing markets for new writers. In Will Write for Shoes, veteran Chick Lit and romance author Cathy Yardley addresses the common questions (and misconceptions) about the genre.

 

Based on years of teaching about commercial women's fiction, this definitive guide provides invaluable tips and step-by-step methods for writing and selling a successful Chick Lit novel. Features include:

 

* The history of Chick Lit

* A blueprint for writing a Chick Lit novel

* New trends in the genre

* Tips and tools for breaking into the market

* FAQs and miscellanea

 

A directory of agents and publishers who acquire Chick Lit, sample submission materials, and online resources make this fun and comprehensive manual a must-have for all women who want to write a Chick Lit novel.

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Hardcover: 224 pages Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (September 5, 2006) Language: English ISBN-10: 0312358997 ISBN-13: 978-0312358990 Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #537,548 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
marian keyes, stephanie lehmann, plot point one, evil boss, story goal, critique partner, critique group, inciting incident

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Chick Lit, Red Dress Ink, New York, Kelly England, Bridget Jones, Los Angeles, Jennifer Crusie, Stephen King, Mommy Lit, Romance Writers of America, Sadie Smith, Jennifer Weiner, New Age

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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 100 books:

• The Dim Sum of All Things by Kim Wong Keltner on page 25, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
• Undead and Unwed (Queen Betsy, Book 1) by MaryJanice Davidson on page 24, page 30, and Back Matter
• The Nanny Diaries: A Novel by Emma Mclaughlin on page 128, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
• The Weekend Novelist by Robert J. Ray on page 38, page 39, and page 52
• Are You In The Mood? by Stephanie Lehmann on page 19, page 127, and Back Matter

See all 100 books this book cites

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	83% buy the item featured on this page: Will Write for Shoes: How to Write a Chick Lit Novel 4.4 out of 5 stars (12) $18.36
	8% buy How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author 4.2 out of 5 stars (41) $5.58
	3% buy See Jane Write: A Girl's Guide to Writing Chick Lit 4.1 out of 5 stars (12) $10.17
	3% buy How to Write a Great Query Letter 5.0 out of 5 stars (13) $0.00

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews 5 star:  (7) 4 star:  (3) 3 star:  (2) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.4 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 12 of 12 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Memorable Title & Solid Contents, October 3, 2006 By  W. Terry Whalin "Publisher/ Editor / Writer" (Scottsdale, Arizona) - See all my reviews Ok, I'll admit it. This guy had to take off the pink cover to read this book but I love the title and the design of the cover. Cathy Yardley has written an excellent book which covers a broad range of topics for anyone interested in writing Chick Lit. She defines the genre, then guides the reader through the details of writing the manuscript. Finally Yardley provides seasoned and professional answers about navigating the business aspects of publishing covering topics such as query letters, synopsis, agents, networking and how to form a critique group. Her FAQ is valuable to answer common questions and even speculates about the future of the genre. The seven Appendixes contain valuable material such as a sample query letter to an agent, a sample query letter to an editor, a sample synopsis, a scene outline, current agent listings (and some of the authors these agents represent), publisher listings and even great websites to help the reader. This well-written book is highly recommended to every writer--whether you plan to write a Chick Lit Novel or not. 7 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely perfect guide to creating an absolutely perfect novel!, August 13, 2008 By  J. Arena (Williamsburg, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)       This review is from: Will Write for Shoes: How to Write a Chick Lit Novel (Hardcover) If you're even wondering if you should spend some of your hard-earned cash on this book, rest assured that the answer is yes, yes, yes!! Will Write For Shoes is a valuable addition to your library, and thoroughly covers the details of the chick lit genre. Cathy Yardley defines it, gives a history of it and fills readers in on the new trends. Just when you are ready to get to working on your own manuscript, she fills you in on premise (what is "high concept," anyway?), characters, structure, outline and much more. Of course, there are many books out there that give the basics of how to create fiction, but Will Write For Shoes is the perfect tool if you long to create the chick lit that you adore. It's not a simple concept, but if you follow this author's advice you'll be well on your way to creating a finished manuscript that avoids the cliches, yet gives publishers the idea that they have a solid winner that will strike a chord with readers. Don't pass up the opportunity to read and own this book. I promise you will refer to Will Write for Shoes over and over again during your writing career! Thank you, Cathy Yardley for an entertaining, educational keeper of a book! 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Best For Chick Lit Writers!, May 14, 2007 By  Andrea R. Elliott - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    You can't go wrong with this book. So, much information and the appendix is priceless. Tells you list of publshers, agents, and much much more! A must!		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring This book is a great motivator and goes into great detail. Worth the price. Published 2 months ago by T. Shaffer 4.0 out of 5 stars Straightforward and mostly useful The book's extensive information on the Chick Lit genre itself read like a Master's thesis, but its advice on organizing & writing your novel and getting it published was... Read more Published 3 months ago by writer 4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful Primer This book is a great intro to the genre, outlining the history briefly while pushing writers into new and different directions. Read more Published 5 months ago by J. Woolston 5.0 out of 5 stars Good read, especially for the beginner I've been working on my novel for a few years now, and this book is letting me know where I went wrong. Read more Published 6 months ago by B. M. Hoffman 3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing terribly new here. Cathy Yardley, Will Write for Shoes: How to Write a Chick Lit Novel (St. Martin's, 2006) I suppose it was a lost cause to consider that a how-to-write book that... Read more Published 13 months ago by Robert P. Beveridge 3.0 out of 5 stars Not the best resource if you've already started writing your novel... Will Write for Shoes is a no-nonsense guide to writing, revising, and selling a chick lit novel. Many of the approaches listed in this book aren't specific to chick lit and can be... Read more Published 17 months ago by K. Hinton 5.0 out of 5 stars This book pleasantly surprised me! I am a writer who has been reviewed only by my friends and professors... not published yet. I was surprised by the quality of the insights and guidance included in this... Read more Published 18 months ago by Julie 5.0 out of 5 stars Good For Writing Any Genre A lot of really great tips for structuring and outlining your novel. Even though chick lit is unfortunately on its deathbed, I will be referencing this book for years to come on... Read more Published 19 months ago by Erica M. Kennedy 5.0 out of 5 stars Snared by the title... I was pulled in by the title, but the load of information kept me reading. A great resource for anyone considering writing Chick Lit. Published on November 8, 2006 by Carol M. Hutchens Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (September 5, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312358997
• ISBN-13: 978-0312358990
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #537,548 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Memorable Title & Solid Contents, October 3, 2006

By	W. Terry Whalin "Publisher/ Editor / Writer" (Scottsdale, Arizona) - See all my reviews

Ok, I'll admit it. This guy had to take off the pink cover to read this book but I love the title and the design of the cover. Cathy Yardley has written an excellent book which covers a broad range of topics for anyone interested in writing Chick Lit. She defines the genre, then guides the reader through the details of writing the manuscript.

Finally Yardley provides seasoned and professional answers about navigating the business aspects of publishing covering topics such as query letters, synopsis, agents, networking and how to form a critique group. Her FAQ is valuable to answer common questions and even speculates about the future of the genre. The seven Appendixes contain valuable material such as a sample query letter to an agent, a sample query letter to an editor, a sample synopsis, a scene outline, current agent listings (and some of the authors these agents represent), publisher listings and even great websites to help the reader.

This well-written book is highly recommended to every writer--whether you plan to write a Chick Lit Novel or not.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely perfect guide to creating an absolutely perfect novel!, August 13, 2008

By	J. Arena (Williamsburg, VA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Will Write for Shoes: How to Write a Chick Lit Novel (Hardcover)

If you're even wondering if you should spend some of your hard-earned cash on this book, rest assured that the answer is yes, yes, yes!!

Will Write For Shoes is a valuable addition to your library, and thoroughly covers the details of the chick lit genre. Cathy Yardley defines it, gives a history of it and fills readers in on the new trends. Just when you are ready to get to working on your own manuscript, she fills you in on premise (what is "high concept," anyway?), characters, structure, outline and much more.

Of course, there are many books out there that give the basics of how to create fiction, but Will Write For Shoes is the perfect tool if you long to create the chick lit that you adore. It's not a simple concept, but if you follow this author's advice you'll be well on your way to creating a finished manuscript that avoids the cliches, yet gives publishers the idea that they have a solid winner that will strike a chord with readers.

Don't pass up the opportunity to read and own this book. I promise you will refer to Will Write for Shoes over and over again during your writing career!

Thank you, Cathy Yardley for an entertaining, educational keeper of a book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Best For Chick Lit Writers!, May 14, 2007

By	Andrea R. Elliott - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

You can't go wrong with this book. So, much information and the appendix is priceless. Tells you list of publshers, agents, and much much more! A must!